David O'ConnellThe Waiting City
July 6th 2010 06:01
‘The first Australian feature to be shot in India’ would be a far less interesting tag if the film it referred to was a complete bust. Thankfully Claire McCarthy’s The Waiting City is anything but, instead blossoming into a beautifully realised adult drama about a young Australian couple’s quest for parenthood in claiming the child they’ve agreed to adopt in Calcutta. A series of complications then ensues, placing in jeopardy not only their chances of ever holding young Lakshmi in their arms, but also the foundations of their marriage.
Jaded, once-successful musician Ben Simmons (Joel Edgerton) and his lawyer wife Fiona (Radha Mitchell) arrive in India with expectations of the adoption being a mere formality. But as annoying bureaucratic obstructions are placed in their way, old wounds are picked at, causing friction. Fiona’s unceasing devotion to her professional duties – which, even whilst away, she’s unable to put aside – gets under Ben’s skin, whilst Ben’s mostly lackadaisical approach to life is equally irritating to his wife.
With progress delayed by red tape, the pair decides to take up the offer of their new friend, trusty hotel employee Krishna (Samrat Chakrabarti) to travel by train to the place of their Lakshmi's birth, which by coincidence happens to be Krishna’s home town. It is here that their marriage is put to the acid test, and with a corrosive dark secret spilling into the light, things slowly unravel. A wedge forms between them, but can it be eroded by the time they finally take possession of their new daughter back in Calcutta? Or will their relationship crumble before they even have a chance to meet her?
One of the film's striking qualities, and perhaps the one most worth savouring, relates to the manner in which its main themes - isolation and disconnectedness, for example - evolve in ways you won't expect. The notion of two Australians attempting to make headway in India sounds rife with cross-cultural complications and potential barriers. However, McCarthy’s sensitive screenplay is subtly overlaid with matters of universal relevance. The widening crevices that afflict Ben and Fiona's marriage are related only to their relationship rather than some crude divide caused by their presence as strangers in a strange land.
McCarthy handles her actors with a delicate touch and the subtle shadings of her screenplay bring out the best in both performers. Neither is demonised or entirely sympathetic. A brave Edgerton has certainly never been better, whilst the always fine Mitchell excels in one of the meatiest, most important roles of her career. Chakrabarti’s Krishna is a wonderful character too. He proves to be a principled, kind-hearted spiritual guide of sorts; not a saviour but a guiding light.
The Waiting City is the work of a director able to explore narrative boundaries with meaningful approaches that never overstep them. This ensures that the story remains grounded in an evocative, believable world with perhaps only the mystical elements of the third act seeming less than successful.
In visual terms, the film is virtually flawless; every frame, especially in external scenes, seems to extract a consistently gorgeous, vibrant sheen from the environment. Indeed Denson Baker’s cinematography captures the sublime beauty of this place, with all its colours and dullness, its movement and stillness, with an equally discerning eye.
McCarthy's view of India through outsiders’ eyes is successfully tempered by her balanced, multi-faceted treatment of the place; the gradual, naturalistic way Ben and Fiona are subsumed by India rather than cast into harsh relief against its alienness effectively negates any stereotyped perception of its hostilities.
Watching The Waiting City is a genuinely moving experience. Though starting out with a disarmingly light touch, this proves to be the next outstanding achievement in dramatic Australian cinema. It deserves to find a large and appreciative audience. Very highly recommended.
The Waiting City opens in Australia on July 15.
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